Medications That Increase Ticks

[programmer]

Sometimes I get nausea and I was told that some medications can worsen ticks so I am taking a VERY expensive anti-nausea medication - ZOFRAN - . Is there anyone else that has found medications that make matters worse?

[kim]

Programmer,

 

I would like to take your post as an opportunity to say welcome to you, and all of the recent new posters.

 

I wanted to repond to your question, not because I'm any kind of authority, but because I have been looking at these types of medications recently. A friend of mine was prescribed Phenergan (which has also been prescribed for my son's for respiratory virus/infections) and it appeared it was causing him some problems, especially in combination with other drugs that he is taking for TS.

 

I have no idea, how familiar you are with the neurotransmitters that are involved or suspected to be involved in movement disorders and co morbid conditions, so forgive me, if this is not the type of info. that you're looking for.

 

Here are a few things you might want to take a closer look at, in regards to ZOFRAN

 

Antagonist: In biochemistry, an antagonist acts against and blocks an action.

 

An antagonist is the opposite of an agonist which stimulates an action. Antagonists and agonists are key players in pharmacology and in the chemistry of the human body.

 

 

http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/ondansetron_cp.htm

 

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

Pharmacodynamics: Ondansetron is a selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist. While ondansetron's mechanism of action has not been fully characterized, it is not a dopamine-receptor antagonist. Serotonin receptors of the 5-HT3 type are present both peripherally on vagal nerve terminals and centrally in the chemoreceptor trigger zone of the area postrema. It is not certain whether ondansetron's antiemetic action in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting is mediated centrally, peripherally, or in both sites.

 

 

http://pharmacy.oregonstate.edu/drug_polic...ryptamine3.html

 

II. Pharmacology

 

The 5-HT3 receptor antagonists are selective serotonin inhibitors, competitively inhibit the binding of serotonin to 5-HT3 receptors. Their antiemetic effects are postulated to stem from blockade of 5-HT3 receptors located on the nerve terminals of the vagus in the periphery and centrally in the chemoreceptor trigger zone of the area postrema. These drugs have little or no affinity for other serotonin receptors; for alpha or beta-adrenergic; for dopaminergic; or for histamine receptors.(1-3)

 

 

 

This medication is also used prescribed for nausea sometimes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promethazine

brand names Phenergan®, Promethegan®, Romergan

[kim]

Ahhh Programmer I had your original question confused.

 

I found this in regards to Zofran

 

http://www.emedicine.com/neuro/topic664.htm

 

Serotonin function has also been assessed in TS, and patients have lower plasma tryptophan levels than normal (Comings, 1990). Preliminary postmortem studies also show reduced brain tryptophan concentrations. Unconfirmed results suggest a possible genetic link between TS and a serotonin metabolic enzyme (Comings, 1996). A [123I]b-CIT SPECT study suggests lower serotonin transporter binding in patients with TS, with binding correlating inversely with severity (Muller-Vahl, 2005). However, the relevance of all these findings to pathophysiology awaits further study. Serotonin-3 receptor genes showed no clear abnormalities in TS (Niesler, 2005). Most treatments that modify serotonin function (eg, fluoxetine therapy, tryptophan depletion therapy) have not produced consistent responses (Black, in press). However, a double-blind RCT of the serotonin-3 receptor antagonist drug ondansetron did suggest efficacy (Toren, 2005).

 

So your Dr. was prescribing this expensive med, for a reason. I'm wondering if blocking the serotonin receptor, leaves more available serotonin like the SSRI's?

 

The only medication we have had any experience with for tics, has been clonidine. I have just started looking at some of the drugs used to treat TS (only recently, even learned how the SSRI's are supposed to work). My boys have tics only, and fairly mild, but I know so many people that have lives that are touched by ADHD, anxiety, depression, etc. My interest has expanded

 

I guess to answer your original question, meds that I have personally have read a few negatives on, and would be cautious in the use, with my son's are Phenergan, long term use of Prevacid and Zantac.